The final race of the series!

STONY   CREEK

            Solo-a very lonely word, a singular of persons, solo=1 and one alone.

I went by myself, Meilee (little sister), went with our dad.

So this is what I call sisterly competition!

The two of us rode around together, to not just get are heart rates up, but also to have a little bit of fun.

Before we started, we cheered on the younger children at the kid’s race, with loud,

“Keep it up’s”, and encouraging, ”Your almost there’s!!!”

We were all lined up at the start line, me, Meilee, and another boy called Sean.

Our Dad was talking to a few people about me, and he bragged about how I finished the Ore-2-Shore. He also explained how I dramatically broke my front fork.

            Meilee looked a bit nervous at the start line, for this was her first race with clip less pedals.

I thought Meilee was pretty brave to think about trying, but I also thought of how risky it was, going into a race with NO experience with clip less pedals, whatsoever.

“Starting in 5,”

I felt the hard ground as I pawed it with my cleat.

“4,”

I felt my heart, pounding, under my jersey.

“3,”

I once again, felt the hard ground underneath me.

“2,”

I got ready to push off and…

“1!!!!”                                                   

My foot pushed down as hard as it possibly could.

I quickly reared my leg and clicked it into place.

Slowly, I went up a few gears as I sped up in the pack of riders.

Keeping up with them wasn’t so easy!

A few riders were so careless and didn’t really care about anyone around them.

This one person stopped and was walking right in front of me and refused to move, apparently.

Then another rider just cut me off at the same time!

Sheesh! Just because you’re in a race doesn’t mean to forget your manners!!!

I took a few quick peeks behind to see if Meilee was trailing on my tail, nope.

No Meilee

No Sean

Well, they were the least of my troubles; breaking away from this stampede is 1^st on my to-do list.

Half way through the race all of the packs were all cleared.

Occasionally (but rarely), I’d see a small group of 3 speeding by, testing each other’s strength by sprinting with all their might.

I could tell I was almost done, for I knew this trail very well.

 People were screaming in the distance.

I may feel drained, but I can always do a finish sprint, any day, any time!!!

So I gathered up my leftover energy and put the rest of it into this sprint;

Circle after circle, stroke after stroke.

I took a quick look up as I heard a familiar voice shouting my name;

“Avery! Avery! C’mon babe!!!”  It was Dad!!! And, and, and Meilee!!!

Did they get by me somehow?

Did they cheat?

DID THEY DNF???

My mind was teeming with questions!

First things first, I gotta finish this race!!!

“How did you? How did Meilee? What happened?!?!?”

 “Meilee fell to many times, she couldn’t get out of her pedals fast enough, so we had to…”

“DNF,”I said

“Yup, that. She was crying. She got beat up real bad.” He replied.

So that’s why Meilee and Dad were here! She had to DNF…

      A time of 54minutes, 7 seconds, 1^ST Place + my plaque, and an Iceman entry.

What’s that? You wonder how I’m gonna hold off myself with training?

Well, the biking season isn’t over just yet!

There are a few MISCA races I can do!

So stay in touch with my new status updates!

A special thanks goes out to all you supporters (/fans) out there!

For supporting me at every race I do!

Avery

The next three...

                 

Big M

      One of my favorite trails!

Just saying the name unravels me into down hills with thick sand, and spiraled roots.                                             

      With a hill that fells like miles! Plus plenty of twisty- turn(y) sections that were so fun, it left me in stitches!

Anyway, Big M is 6 miles long and is known as the momentum preserver trail.

I was lined up at the start line and some trash talk was being unfolded...

“I’m going to beat you guys you know!” bragged the littlest of us (Probably 7yrs old)

“Ohhhh! Some trash talk at the start line!!!” said my dad. I wanted to keep it…modest.

“We’ll see about that,” I said.

“You’ll see this when I’m in front of you!!” He said, as he pointed to his seat.

“You’ll hear this when I’m in front of you,” I replied, pointing at my camel pak containing my dad’s phone, playing music clearly loud enough for anyone to hear.

When the 7yr old boy turned around and looked ahead, the older boy (about my age), looked at me and said: “Heh, heh, ‘We’ll see about that.’ ’” he said, repeating what I had said,”Heh, nice one.”

“But seriously you’re probably my only competition- maybe.”

“Probably,” I replied “Is this a first time?”

“Yea.I have a new bike and everything! Just got done in the shop, we’re talkin’ SUPER expensive! “He said rubbing his thumb and pointing fingers together.

“This is my 1^st race too!” I said,”-With a new bike that is! I’ve been biking since I was 7!”

      We kept on talk for a while until it was time to start. I was a bit rusty at first, for I had not raced in 4 weeks.

      I was very fortunate to stay upright for the whole race. The first race on my new bike was great with a time of 38 minutes (I hoped for 30 minutes but 38 is fine), and 1^st- out of the other boys (“Like I said, you’re my only competition!”)

Ore-2-Shore, here I come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Ore-2-Shore

      Ore-to-Shore has finally come; the HUGE 48miler in Marquette has finally come!!!

Nervous? Yes!

Ready? Not so much…

      My cousins, and aunt and uncle were there too.

Wearing T-shirts that said; ‘TEAM AVERY, O2S, ORE-2-SHORE’ so they looked like a giant cheering squadron!

     If  I make it, I’ll be history!! If I don’t…. Let’s just think about making it!!!

I thought deeply

My stomach was squeezed together,

My head was pounding,

And my heart was throbbing!!!

It was a matter before time when we start!

What if I have to DNF (Did not finish)?????

Now that really scared me!!!!

It was 30min before we start!!! I had to calm myself!!!

“Nervous?” asked a voice. I turned around, it was dad, I almost forgot he was there!!!     I nodded vigorously and said, “Very,”

      We did the ‘National Anthem’ with hands across heart. After that, all eyes were on me-at least that’s what it felt like!!! Then it started. My stomach hurt more than ever!

 On the cement, while I drafted off of my dad’s wheel, people were asking me TONS of questions; “Are you doing the full Ore-to-Shore?”, “How old are you?”,” Is that your   daughter?” Of course all of those questions were answered.

When we on the dirt, the hills-not so easy.

Turns out that people were in packs so if some don’t make it…

You can do the math.

One thing’s for sure, it adds up into a real traffic jam!

Wet grass was a real problem in the beginning, but the sand was the worst of them all!!!

At one point, dad had a bike breakdown, so I went solo.

That freaked me out…

Me…by myself… in the Ore-to-Shore!!!

Little did I know that just minutes later, my front wheel hit a loose rock, and WHACK!!!

Next thing I knew, there was a lady in my face.

“Are you okay?” she asked

“Huh?” I said, I felt… dazed.

My lip hurt, it felt numb and stingy…

My lip! I took my glove and touched my lip…

Red liquid…

That could only means one thing…

“Blood…” I whispered.

“It looks like your front fork broke!” She said, “It must’ve broken on your fall.”

I looked at my bike.

Where’s my front wheel? I thought. I looked down the hill.

There it was, my poor wheel down near some weeds.

I felt my head, it was pounding, and I almost forgot that she was there!

She gasped and asked me what day it was,

“August 10^th 2013, or it’s the ‘Ore-to-Shore’ day” I replied.

She exhaled with great relief.

Wait! The Ore-to-Shore, my fall, my front wheel! What if I have to DNF???

 I could feel my heart tearing in half; and my eyes were red and itchy.

Then… all of this work, all of this money put into it… for nothing… all…wasted…

The/9+ woman saw me and ran down to the bottom, grabbed my wheel, and came running back up and tweaked it back onto my bike as tight as it could go.

“Thanks for EVERYTHING!” I said

Then out of nowhere, my family came!

My dad came-too.

“What happened?” he asked.

To much to explain

“Let’s go!!!” he said

So we took off-again.

      Down hills, up hills, washouts, killer MOUNTAINS.

We were only 5miles away.

When will it be done?

3 miles

I went a bit faster

2 miles

I sped up

1 mile, one singular mile left, one, one mile.

I went my MAX.

“Avery! C’mon Avery!!!”

I heard my cheering squad.

I went my ULTIMATE MAXIMUM speed using all my energy.

And…..

I sped past the finish line!!!

Done… at last...

“Avery, hey, Avery, you did a super job.”

said my youngest cousin, Kayden.

“Aww.” Said the adults in the family, “Thanks,” I said.

My new record has been set.

Youngest to finish the Ore-to-Shore!

In 5hrs and 1 minute (one minute over my hopes!)

I have made history- again!!!!

 Maybury

       At Maybury, we rode it backwards. 

Yup, backwards.

They also added an extra 3miles in from last year, so now its 9miles per lap.

My legs hurt in the beginning, after the Ore-to-Shore, why WOULD’T they hurt?

It started in the weeds, then, it twisted around. As the trail twisted around, we saw 3 horses, standing, tied to a tree.

They were pretty horses, anyway, back to the race.

At one point, I felt SUPER drained, apparently Dad noticed, because he said;

“Hit the gas!”

      I had an idea.

“Hey, Dad,”

“Yea?”

“Tell me something that makes me mad,”

“WHAT???”

“SAY SOMETHIN’ THAT MAKES ME MAD!!!”

      Geez! Just having to repeat it makes me angry!

“Okay,” he said.

It took a few minutes for him to think, then finally;

“Your sister has a faster sprint than you- on the down hills!!!”

Mad?

No!

Furious?

Heck Yeah!

I went fast.

“That girl you beat in Canonsburg, is gonna beat us and think you’re so cute and say;

‘To bad I had to beat that cute little girl!’”

I went fastererer.

He kept on feeding me little ‘fake facts’ until I went my practical max.

      I kept it like that until-

2miles

Faster

1mile!

Fastererer

Almost there…

And…………. FINISH!!!

1^st place, and a time of 1 hour and 1 minute!

Big M? DONE

Ore-2-Shore? DONE

Maybury? CHECK PLEASE

Next stop, Stony Creek!!!

Avery